


Darkness (in the dead of night)

by Imao



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Cute, F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Nightmares, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:41:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28440315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imao/pseuds/Imao
Summary: Clarke still has frequent nightmares and panic attacks months after Mount Weather has been taken down. But now Lexa is there to hold her through the night.
Relationships: Clarke Griffin/Lexa
Comments: 2
Kudos: 84





	Darkness (in the dead of night)

**Author's Note:**

> Just a short fluffy/angsty bit. I like to think that Clarke and Lexa both had nightmares related to their respective traumas, and that they would have been there for each other on rough nights.

* * *

‘ _I’m sorry… I’m sorry…_ ’

Lexa was roused from her sleep in the middle of the night by these words, and the sound of ragged breathing close to her ear. Quiet sobs and whimpers punctuated the mumbled soliloquy that echoed in the otherwise silent room, and the broken quality of that familiar voice stirred concern in the pit of her stomach.

‘ _Clarke?_ ’ She called drowsily before shifting on the bed to get a look at the woman beside her.

The blonde was tense and her head was thrashing from side to side but from what Lexa could see, she was not awake. Her lips were trembling and her chest was heaving rapidly as if she was struggling for air.

‘ _I didn’t want… I’m sorry…_ ’ She rambled again, her voice cracking halfway through the words.

Her fingers were gripping at the furs and Lexa knew what was happening. Clarke had been having nightmares regularly ever since they had started sharing the same bed –and probably before that, although Lexa couldn’t tell for sure.

She had told her once that they were about the war and the people she had killed. Most of the time, the ghosts of Mount Weather came to visit her in her sleep with vivid images that would keep her tossing and turning in bed for hours before she eventually found sleep again. Lexa knew that too, because sometimes, in her semi-conscious state, she could feel Clarke get restless next to her and on some mornings, she would wake up to a new drawing of herself that the blonde had made while she was asleep.

‘ _Clarke?_ ’ Lexa repeated louder, propping herself up on her elbow so she was leaning over the other woman. ‘ _Wake up, niron._ ’

She brushed a sweaty strand of blonde hair from her forehead and cupped Clarke’s cheek in an attempt to soothe her. She was still shaking and it broke Lexa’s heart when she noticed the tears than ran down the side of her face and into her hair. They left wet trails that glistened in the moonlight.

Clarke’s eyes snapped open at Lexa’s touch and darted from side to side, barely registering the other woman’s concerned frown above her. She panted. One shaky hand was clutching the hem of her shirt as though she felt constricted by the material, and another was pushing Lexa away. She was obviously still not out of it.

‘ _You’re okay Clarke._ ’ Lexa said, keeping her voice calm but still backing away a little to give her space to breathe. ‘ _It’s just me. You’re okay._ ’

Clarke sat up in bed, wheezing and with her chest heaving rapidly. She was covered in sweat that made her shirt cling to her skin and her hair stick to her brow.

‘ _Lexa? Make it stop… please._ ’ She panted between gasps.

Panic was etched on her features as she struggled to calm down. Her eyes were unfocused and fearful, and her gaping mouth was desperately trying to get some air into her lungs. Lexa had seen Clarke like this before but it was still scary to be on the other end of it – to see it happen and be that helpless. She brought a hand to Clarke’s shoulder, rubbing gently but careful not to startle her.

‘ _Niron…_ ’ she said, close to the blonde’s ear. ‘ _Listen to me. You have to breathe._ ’

‘ _I- can’t_ ’ Clarke wheezed, gritting her teeth as another flood of tears rolled down her cheeks.

‘ _Yes you can. Breathe with me._ ’

Lexa took the hand that rested limply in Clarke’s lap and brought it to her own chest so that the blonde could feel her breathing under her palm.

‘ _With me._ ’ She said again, pressing Clarke’s hand against her heart. ‘ _In… out._ ’

Lexa breathed slow and deep so that the blonde could follow and it took a couple of minutes for Clarke to settle into an even rhythm, drawing shaky breaths and releasing them slowly.

‘ _You are doing great, Clarke. Keep going._ ’

Eventually, she calmed down. Lexa let go of the hand that was against her chest but Clarke kept it there and she didn’t mind. She knew contact was a way for the blonde to ground herself back into reality after her nightmares so she let her.

‘ _Thank you._ ’ Clarke said as she let out a sigh of relief.

The blonde closed her eyes wearily and it was another minute of sitting there in silence before Lexa managed to speak.

‘ _Do you want to talk about it?_ ’ She asked, taking Clarke’s idle hand in hers and brushing the knuckles with her thumb.

‘ _No._ ’ The blonde said, defeated.

Lexa did not question. Instead, she got off the bed to get a fresh tank top from Clarke’s drawer so she could change into something more comfortable than her sweaty shirt. She also grabbed a cloth from the bathroom and a bowl that she filled with water, and brought the items back to the bed, setting the bowl on the nightstand.

She helped Clarke out of her shirt and threw the garment in the general direction of the hamper before dipping the cloth into the water and wringing it.

‘ _Can I_?’ She asked, bringing it to Clarke’s shoulder.

Clarke nodded and Lexa started dragging the wet cloth against her bare skin, cleaning gently, washing off the stickiness. Clarke shivered slightly at the cold wetness but didn’t say a word. Her blue eyes were still glistening in the darkness, occasionally catching a dim ray of moonlight from the window. They bore into hers, watching thoughtfully as Lexa cleaned her forehead, and then up and down her arms. She forced herself not to linger as she dipped the cloth in the valley between Clarke’s breasts, where the sweat was most present.

Eventually, once she was done, she put the cloth back in the bowl and helped Clarke into the clean tank top. She pressed a soft, reassuring kiss to her temple and the blonde leaned into the touch.

‘ _Is there anything else I can do?_ ’ She asked.

‘ _Can you just hold me? Please?_ ’ Clarke said, her voice dry and hesitant, as if it was a lot to ask from the woman she loved and who loved her back with everything she had.

‘ _Of course_.’ Lexa said, giving her one of the smiles that she reserved for Clarke only.

She cradled the blonde into her arms and lowered them back down into the mattress before pulling the furs over the two of them.

‘ _Thank you._ ’ Clarke said, burying her nose in the crook of Lexa’s shoulder.

Lexa welcomed her in, stroking the blonde locks affectionately and rocking her _niron_ back to sleep.

‘ _Be okay, Clarke._ ’


End file.
